The Price and The Cost
by Rico Perrien
Summary: Be very careful what you wish for


The Price and the Cost

Disclaimer: The author owns nothing of note, and certainly not any rights to the Harry Potter empire which is owned by JK Rowling and her affiliates. Not money is being made (or expected to be made) from this story. Unlike many other authors, JKR has allowed us to play in the sandbox she created.

Warning: Some nastiness. Seriously AU

He lay in the ruins of his ancestors' family home, as he had since its destruction.

In his youth, he had travelled, and run into an exceedingly old Egyptian, who told him of the secret method to attain immortality. The old man did regret that he had not been able to live in the luxury that he had enjoyed in the first years of his long life, and in particular, of the problems of having to relocate every now and then to locations when the lack of identification documents would not pose a problem. Having a birthdate more than several centuries earlier had often raised some unwelcome official attention, until he managed to depart through a war zone where being 'without papers' (hence the designation WOP) was not a handicap, but actually expected.

He had decided, after some research, that his fear of death could be overcome by invoking the secret protocols. As he had utter contempt for almost all humans, but in particular the magical people who had lorded it over himself, he would show them what an immortal wizard could accomplish.

His first attempt at splitting his soul failed, because the basilisk that killed the young woman was acting of its own nature, and not strictly working as his own hand. The fact that in order to accomplish the deed he had to do it himself personally, had been unexpected and not something which his studies of the rare manuscripts about the method had explained in detail.

His next attempt was successful. He had killed a young wizard he met at a dingy pub and deposited a part of his soul in the diary he had carried with him to the site. The pain of the splitting has been excruciating and lasted the better part of a month, but the process had worked.

His next murders were of his own family, and the splitting became easier and seemed less painful every time. Whether the pieces of this soul were smaller, or he was just becoming accustomed to the pain, was a question he never asked. All that mattered was that the more pieces he made and hid, the less likely that anymore could ever find all of them and destroy him. He intended to live forever. If pain was the price he had to pay for immortality, he felt it would be worth it.

With his new outlook of living longer than any other human, he chose a new name for himself which meant "Flies from Death'. He gathered followers, preying on their arrogances and bigotry, promising them that they would rule the world.

He came to be a connoisseur of pain. He relished dolling it out to those who he wished to intimidate, or those he wanted to punish. His most trusted followers were those who also delighted in inflicting pain.

At no time did he reveal how or why he claimed to be immortal, but just stated it as a fact that they had to accept. Any who started to question how he had pulled it off were quietly obliviated of the question. When any questioned his immortality or showed any signs that they might either want to become immortal too, or else disprove his immortality and take over the organization he was building, he very publicly executed them as being disloyal traitors to 'The Cause'.

His followers were all branded to prove their loyalty, which also allowed him to siphon off some of their own magic to increase his powers. He sent them out to commit acts of terror throughout the country, particularly against the non-magical people, but also those who rejected his declared program of superiority, calling them blood-traitors.

A part of a prophecy was intercepted by one of his sycophants, saying that a young wizard or witch would be able to kill him. This was of course completely unacceptable, so he attempted to neutralize the potential risk. This had failed spectacularly, and for years he had avoided any contact with them and most of his followers as he rebuilt his strength.

A fatal mistake was made when his most loyal (and rabid) followers decided to attack a very large group of mostly non-magicals in a place where there was expected to be huge crowds. This would cause massive terror throughout the population. The parade was to honour warriors returning from a faraway country where the soldiers had fought enemies who would appear and disappear into the local peoples, making them extremely cautious of sudden attacks.

When a small group of his followers appeared and started firing lethal spells into the crowds, the soldiers responded in kind as they had been trained and conditioned. Although the spells caused many deaths, the response of hundreds of soldiers firing high-powered semi-automatic weapons soon had the group of his most faithful followers cut down.

Among the dignitaries watching the parade were several high-ranking ones who were aware of the magical world, being either magical themselves or party to state secrets. Surviving assailants were taking into custody and questioned using both magical truth potions as well as non-magical ones, before they were 'allowed' to succumb to their injuries. With the information gathered, an attack was mounted on his ancestral dwelling.

The attack demolished the structure, causing most of the flaming wreckage to collapse in on itself. After the non-magical troops had been withdrawn, dragons were brought in to finish the incineration.

He had been in the basement of the house, preparing some potions which he felt might be useful in treating any injuries his followers might have experienced during their assuredly successful mission. His first indication of their failure was when his house collapsed upon him.

One burning floor beam fell on his right arm, crushing his hand and snapping his wand. Another beam, from the roof, fell and pierced his chest, while another partially crushed his skull. His legs were pinned down under tons of debris.

After the fire had burned itself out, large machines had been brought in to compact the remains into the hole, and soil has poured on top to hide the presence of any remains. No one was aware of his lying under rubble.

Time passed. He survived and he remained conscious. He attempted to apparate out from his tomb, but the concussion he had sustained prevented him to concentrate sufficiently to manage it.

Some of his surviving followers tried to take over the remains on his organization. The internecine warfare between the three factions were as vicious and bloody as any sectarian or mob violence. He could feel as his branded followers died, as their contribution to his magic diminished with their deaths.

Over time, the rest of his branded followers died. Some through violence either through squabbles with other followers, and some by those they attacked fighting back as word got around that they need not fear the masked and robed assailants. Others, especially those who had been imprisoned, died of old age or suicide. He felt the diminishment of his powers with every death.

The pain of his injuries reduced over time, as maggots and worms ate away the flesh around the pieces of wood which had impaled him.

Over time, many of his soul vessels were found and destroyed. He could feel as the parts of his soul were taken from the world. A part of himself he had embedded in the forehead of a young wizard was discovered by the goblins' curse-breakers when the young man came of age, and it was removed and destroyed.

Time passed and yet he survived, and yet he remained conscious.

After fifteen hundred years the inactive bank vaults, held by the goblins, were opened in accordance with the bank's contractual requirements, and the gold cup he had imbued with a part of his soul has found and destroyed.

Time passed and yet he survived, and yet he remained conscious.

He had hidden the jeweled tiara very well in the special room in the castle where he had gone to school. It was never found.

Time passed and yet he survived, and yet he remained conscious.

Immortality did not mean that he would live forever. It did not mean that he would rule the world. It meant only that he was unable to die.


End file.
